Skip to main content

Boo!

Do you think that we in the States are putting too much emphasis on Halloween? I couldn't believe this year. Everywhere we went we were being stared at by skulls, ghosts, witches, mummies, and demonic looking creatures of every sort. It was ridiculous and enough to make a child have nightmares for months.

Did the scariness of the times warranted such an emphasis? I don't think so. In Brazil there is no Halloween because they still practice the Day of the Dead on November 1 (thus October 31 is all hallow eve). That sad practice has blinded generations to the true fear that they should have towards a Christless eternity.

With the godly moorings of our country fading further and further from our perspective we can be assured that the coming Halloweens will be even more strange

However, a lot of seemingly scary stuff has happened recently. With the crash of the stock market, the floundering auto industry, and the political climate, it is enough to make the bravest soul tremble. The bravest non-family member that is.

We have been encouraged and strengthened as we have fellowshiped with friends and family in a church where the pastoral staff preaches and teaches the unchangeable Word of God! Appropriately enough, Pastor Moreno has been preaching through the book of the Revelation. It is such an interesting, challenging, and helpful study in these interesting and challenging times.

We also have had opportunity of sharing, in some of our supporting churches, blessings that God has allowed us to be a part of this past term in Brazil. Encouraging others helps us to get our focus off our problems and back on our Savior who is in complete control of times like these.

With the elections finally over we look with anticipation to the future of our great country. We pray that as we meet some of you during these coming months that we will be mutually encouraged and busy in the work of our coming King. Pray that we will continue steady on His course of action and that we will be faithful to His cause. And we pray God's rich blessing on all of you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If this is the kingdom of God, do I really want it?

If this is Kingdom Living, Do I Want it? Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. In a study of the Sermon on the Mount to this point we might be tempted to say, “I don’t want to be that happy!” If this is Kingdom living then I want to go to Disney World. This place is depressing.  What Jesus describes here seems to highlight all of the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wal*Mart

  So, we get to Wal*Mart and ask where we are suppose to set up to do our Cantata and we get blank stares. What? We don’t know anything about a presentation for today. “Well, I talked to Rita about a month ago and she said, ‘Saturday, December 18 will be great!’" “Rita is not working today.” More blank stares. “We need to call the manager.” After nearly an hour we were allowed to sing. Praise the Lord we had you praying. Thanks, Tom, John, Jake and Justin! We needed your intersession. At Walmart here in Sorocaba there is a man that travels throughout the store describing different products that are on sale. Usually I pay little attention to him because his always talking so fast and describing stuff that I’m not interested in. Today, however, he came over and introduced our church to the entire store. He then proceeded to ask Alexandre about the true meaning of Christmas. He said, “You as a pastor, have you noticed that we are forgetting the True meaning of Christmas?” Wha...
1 comment
Read more

What? How?

 27 “But to you who are listening, I say:  Love your enemies,  do good to those who hate you, 28  bless those who curse you,  pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek,  turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat,  do not withhold your shirt from them.  30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.  34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be gr...
Post a Comment
Read more